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Vampire for Hire series
The Vampire for Hire series by J.R. Rain. Genres and Sub-Genres Urban Fantasy / UF Mystery Series Description or Overview Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Now working the night shift as a private investigator, Samantha is hired by Kingsley Fulcrum to investigate the murder attempt on his life, a horrific scene captured on TV and seen around the country. But as the case unfolds, Samantha discovers Kingsley isn't exactly what he appears to be; after all, there is a reason why he survived five shots to the head. ~ Moon Dance — Author's site Lead's Species * Vampire, Vampire PI Primary Supe * Vampires What Sets it Apart * A vampire who is a mother, wife and a private investigator as the lead Narrative Type and Narrators * First person narrative told by Samantha Moon, protagonist. Books in Series Vampire for Hire series: # Moon Dance (2009) # Vampire Moon (2010) # American Vampire (2011) # Moon Child (2011) # Vampire Dawn (2012) # Vampire Games (2012) # Moon Island (2012) # Moon River (2013) # Vampire Sun (2014) # Moon Dragon (2014) # Moon Shadow (June 15th 2015) # Vampire Fire () Shorts, Anthologies and Guides * 1.5. Teeth (2013) (Fang's story) (94 pages) — found in: Samantha Moon Rising omnibus & Teeth and Other Stories (2010) * 2.5. Vampire Nights and Other Stories (2010) (96 pages) * 4.4. Vampire Blues: Samantha Moon Case Files (2010) ~ Four Stories * 4.5. Christmas Moon (2011) (114 pages) * 6.5. Vampire Dreams (2012) (50 pages) * 7.4. Halloween Moon (2012) (88 pages) * 7.5. Vampire Gold (2013) (56 pages) * 7.6. Blue Moon (2013) (120 pages) * 8.5. Dark Side of the Moon: A Samantha Moon Story (2014) (20 pages) * 10.5. Vampire Requiem (2015) (37 pages) * Teeth and Other Stories (2010) collection of shorts * Vampire For Hire: The Short Stories (2011) * Vampire for Hire: First Eight Short Stories (2014) * Omnibus & Sets (full books): * Samantha Moon (2012-paperback) — Volumes 1-4 + Christmans moon novella (Chris McGrath set cover) * Samantha Moon Rising (2013) (Vampire for Hire, #5-7, Teeth 1.5) * Vampires: Three Novels (2011) anthology (Moon Dance + 2 by authors: H.T. Night & Aiden James) * 6-Book Vampire Boxed Set (3 Vampire for Hire / 3 Spinoza) * Vampires & Werewolves : two novels (2011) World Building Setting Fullerton California, Los Angeles area Places: * Balboa Beach: Stuart Young lives in a condo near Balboa Beach, with just a sliver of view. * Beach: Samantha met Kingsley Fulcrum at the beach to discuss Stuart's case. * Block in Orange: The Block in Orange is a hip and happening outdoor mall that seemed to appeal mostly to groups of fifteen-year-old girls. * Buena Park: * Chino Hills: The butchery, where Samantha buys her blood, is located in Chino Hills. * City of Orange: Where she visited Kingsley Fulcrum at his office for the first time. * Colton: City of Colton, where danny owns a strip club. * Denny's: Where Sam met a fallen angel last Christmas, who professed his love to her. * El Torito: Special Agent Greg Lomax, lead investigator with the FBI, met with Samantha to discuss the "accident" of Stuart's wife's. * Elementary School, Fullerton: Samantha waited there until school started so she could see her children. She was denied by the principal. * Hillcrest Park, Fullerton: This is where Samantha was bitten by a vampire. * Embassy Suites Hotel in Brea * Fullerton Hills: Where Dtv. Hanker lives. She has a creepy Khabalistic Grandmaster for a neighbor. And also where Robert Mason lives. * Grandmother's House in Brea: Samantha drops the kids of there while she goes to the sparring club. * Hero's Bar, Fullerton: Where Samantha met her sister for lunch. * Jacky's: Sparring Club in Fullerton; A women's gym for boxers. Jacky is an aging Irishman who owns the place. * Kitty Kat: Strip Club in Corona, owned by Danny M * MacDonald's Restaurant: This where Samantha waited to make a phone call to her kids, before going back to her hotel. * Mission Inn: * Mulberry Street Cafe: Fullerton * Municipal Court, Fullerton * Orange County: A haven for the undead. * Placentia: Mary Lou works for a small insurance agency in Placentia. * Police Station: in Fullerton * Newport Beach: Jerry Blume's large estate is located on a small island in the city of Newport Beach. * Orange County: Much of the story takes place in Orange County. * Rembrandt's, Brea: Samantha met her second client in this book, Monica Collins. * Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel: Samantha drives here, jumps off a cliff and turns into a bat to look for Jerry Blum. On the first attempt, she is not successful. * Samantha's Home Office * Santa Ana, California: * Seal Beach: Jerry Blum was standing trial for a shooting in Seal Beach. * Samantha's House: Where Danny kicked her out. Where the kids live. There's a Pep Boys store over the back fence. * Simi Valley: * Starbucks: This Starbucks was in the Block of Orange where Samantha met with her first client in this book, Stuart. * Tustin: Where Rick Horton lives in an upscale neighborhood. * Yorba Linda: Where Kingsley lives, in a mansion with his butler Franklin. * Yorba Linda: Where Kingsley lives. Supernatural Elements ✥ Vampires, vampire hunter, medallion, crime mob (human), assassins, Glossary: * Vampires: have usual traits—plus: shape shift, fly, among other things. * Quicksilver Energy: In the dark, Samantha can see molten streams of quicksilver energy, turning everything into distinct shades of gray. Better than any flashlight. * Alchemist: A person who practices alchemy; magic. * Xeroderma Pigmentosum: Rare skin condition; the slightest sun exposure can lead to blindness, cancer, skin burning, and/or death. 'Groups & Organizations': * FBI: Special Agent Greg Lomax, lead investigator with the FBI, spoke with Samantha about Stuart's wife's "accident". World ✥ Samantha Moon is six years into life as a vampire. Although she has learned to cope, her life has drastically changed. She had to quit her job as a federal agent and start a home-based (with night hours) business as a private investigator. Her husband, who was initially supportive, is increasingly distant and cold, and caring for her kids in the afternoons is a constant struggle for a creature of the night. The stress of juggling these demands, while coping with her vampirism, is taking its toll on Samantha. But she deals with it by working out like a fiend, boxing and running until she's exhausted. Or as close to exhausted as a super strong, super fast vampire can get. ~ Goodreads | Sarah Protagonist ✥Samantha Moon is a great, realistic character. She's a loving mother trying to raise her kids, run a business and keep her marriage together. Her husband is absent much of the time, and she's pretty sure he's having an affair. But she's not ready to confront him, and is terrified of losing her children and her marriage. She also has the added stress of dealing with her abilities and limitations. Her enhanced strength and reflexes are great, but dragging herself out of bed to be with the kids after school is painful and difficult. Not to mention her existential worries: is she dead? evil? how long will she live? These things made Samantha sympathetic and relatable. Her frustration and anger are understandable. The incident caused her to live a life of secrets, to protect herself and her family. She lives in fear of discovery. Her husband, initially seen as a cold and adulterous jackass, really helped her after her attack, researching diseases to explain her aversion to sunlight and her pale skin. He set up an account at a butcher shop to procure animal blood, and supported her career change. But six years of living with a vampire have taken their toll on the relationship - love and support have turned to fear and loathing. These characters are so multi-dimensional, and as such much more believable. ~ Goodreads | Sarah Book Cover Summeries ✤ BOOK ONE — Moon Dance (2009): Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Now working the night shift as a private investigator, Samantha is hired by Kingsley Fulcrum to investigate the murder attempt on his life, a horrific scene captured on TV and seen around the country. But as the case unfolds, Samantha discovers Kingsley isn't exactly what he appears to be; after all, there is a reason why he survived five shots to the head. ~ Goodreads | Moon Dance #1 — Moon Dance ✤ BOOK TWO — Vampire Moon (2010): Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in VAMPIRE MOON, sequel to MOON DANCE, private investigator Samantha Moon finds herself hunting down a powerful crime lord and protecting an innocent woman from her ruthless ex-husband — all while two very different men vie for her heart. And as the stakes grow higher and her cases turn personal, Samantha Moon will do whatever it takes to protect the innocent and bring two cold-blooded killers to justice — her own brand of justice. ~ Goodreads | Vampire Moon #2 ✤ BOOK THREE — American Vampire (2011): Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in AMERICAN VAMPIRE, sequel to VAMPIRE MOON, private investigator Samantha Moon receives a heartbreaking phone call from a very unlikely source: a five-year-old girl who's been missing for three months. Now on the hunt, Samantha will use her considerable resources - including her growing supernatural abilities - to locate the missing girl before it's too late. And as she gets closer and closer to the horrible truth, she receives devastating news on the home front. Now with her world turned upside down, Samantha Moon is forced to make the ultimate choice of life and death. And through it all, she discovers the identity of one mysterious man...a man she has grown to love. ~ Goodreads | American Vampire #3 ✤ BOOK FOUR — Moon Child (2011): Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in MOON CHILD, sequel to AMERICAN VAMPIRE, private investigator Samantha Moon is faced with an impossible decision—a decision that no mother should ever have to make. A decision that will change her life, and those she loves, forever. And through it all, Sam finds herself in a lethal game of vampire vs. vampire as a powerful—and desperate—enemy will stop at nothing to claim what he most desires. ~ Goodreads | Moon Child #4 ✤ BOOK FIVE — Vampire Dawn (2012): Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in VAMPIRE DAWN, Samantha Moon tackles her most frightening case yet. Someone is leaving victims drained of blood, and all signs point to the killer not being a vampire. Meanwhile, Sam can't help but notice the changes coming over her son...fantastical changes that will leave her searching desperately for answers. As Sam tracks down a ruthless killer, and as her own humanity slips further and further away, an ancient relic holds a secret that will rock her world...and open up a whole new one. ~ Goodreads | Vampire Dawn #5 ✤ BOOK SIX — Vampire Games (2012): Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in VAMPIRE GAMES, Samantha Moon is hired to look into the suspicious death of a popular fighter—and quickly discovers there’s far more to the story than meets the eye. Now, as she uncovers clues into the boxer’s past, she will come face-to-face with something unexpected...and something only whispered about. And as the case takes an unexpected turn, Samantha Moon must confront the growing supernatural powers of those closest to her—and a betrayal that will rock her world. ~ Goodreads | Vampire Games #6 ✤ BOOK SEVEN — Moon Island (2012): Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in MOON ISLAND, Samantha Moon is hired to look into the mysterious drowning of a super-rich hotel tycoon. The death occurred exactly one year ago, at the family’s annual retreat on a private island in the Pacific Northwest. Now, as the family gathers again, Samantha Moon is asked to find a ruthless killer—all while a massive storm bears down upon the small island. But there’s another storm brewing upon Skull Island, a storm of the supernatural kind. Sam is about to come face-to-face with evil incarnate...a monster who will stop at nothing to possess her completely—mind, body and soul—and destroy all that she loves. ~ Goodreads | Moon Island #7 ✤ BOOK EIGHT — Moon River (2013): Seven years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in MOON RIVER, private investigator, Samantha Moon, is asked to look into a string of bizarre murders, murders that are looking more and more like the handiwork of a bloodthirsty vampire. But when her sister, Mary Lou, goes missing, Samantha, Allison and Kingsley take the fight underground...into the dark heart of a vampire's lair. ~ Goodreads | Moon River #8 ✤ BOOK NINE — Vampire Sun (2014): Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Eight years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Working the night shift as a private investigator, Sam is hired to look into a baffling missing person case, a case that will lead her to hell in back. Literally. ~ Goodreads | Vampire Sun #9 ✤ BOOK TEN — Moon Dragon (2014): Nine years ago, federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now in MOON DRAGON, private investigator Samantha Moon investigates allegations by her dead ex-husband’s mistress that a killer is on the loose...a killer who just might be immortal. And when another woman vanishes, the clock starts ticking... As Sam digs deeper into the case, a very dangerous supernatural creature makes his presence known. A creature with a pedigree of evil. A creature who knows her all too well. A creature who just might be history’s greatest mass murderer. Most of all, she needs to find the missing woman before it’s too late—after all, Sam knows the intended time of the murder, but not the place. Now in a race against time, Samantha Moon is about to discover the lengths one sadistic pack of immortals will go to feed their bloodlust. ~ Goodreads | Moon Dragon #10) ✤ BOOK ELEVEN — Moon Shadow (June 15th 2015): ~ Goodreads | Moon Shadow #11 ✤ BOOK TWELVE — Vampire Fire (): ~ Goodreads | Vampire Fire #12 ✤ BOOK 13—: Category:Series